The Black Mountains

In the Black Mountains [Fig.
10], the Blue Ridge Mountains reach
their grandest scale, higher and more massive than anywhere along their Pennsylvania-to-
Georgia expanse. This section of mountains covers an area extending from Boone
in the north to Mount Mitchell in the south and bordered on the east by the
Blue Ridge escarpment and on the west by the Unaka Mountains. The Blue Ridge
Parkway [Fig.
11] courses down its heart, along its ridges, and in the shadow
of its peaks. And while all of Western North Carolina is a natural wonderland,
this section offers some of the most remarkable geological sites and botanical
specimens in the eastern United States. The mountains of North Carolina can
be confusing because many share the same name. Consider the Black Mountains.
Three peaks in three different areas of the state bear that name. The town of
Black Mountain is connected with none of them. Moreover, the Black Mountains
aren't black; early settlers called them "Black" because of the dark
appearance of the fir trees that cover the mountains.

Many times, similar names were used because of the isolation the mountains
created. The railroad did not open up the mountains until late in the nineteenth
century. As a result, good maps were not available until the turn of the century,
and even then, the mountain names selected for maps were usually names used
by the local people. The same name continued to be used for different mountains
and towns, and confusion persisted.

The Black Mountains, a single, relatively short, horseshoe-shaped ridge extending
only 15 miles, are the chief cross range of this section but feature a dozen
peaks towering more than 6,000 feet in elevation. Its peaks, often with colorful
names such as Potato Hill, Cattail Peak, and Big Tom, include Mount Mitchell
(see Mount
Mitchell), which holds the distinction of being the highest peak east of
the Mississippi with an elevation reaching 6,684 feet.

The mountainous topography affects many aspects of life in the Black Mountains.
The height of the mountains changes the air temperature at the rate of approximately
three degrees Fahrenheit for every thousand-foot elevation change. At the higher
elevations of Mount Mitchell and Grandfather Mountain, habitats more common
to New England and Canada support many boreal plants. The mountains also affect
rainfallconditions are wetter on the windward or westward side and considerably
drier on the east. Mount Mitchell, for example, receives up to 80 inches of
rain each year, twice what falls on Asheville just 25 miles south.

Rivers within this section are directed east and west by the Eastern Continental
Divide. Atlantic-bound rivers include the Linville, Yadkin, Johns, and Catawba
rivers. The New River is born here among the streams on Flat Top Mountain before
heading ultimately to the Ohio River, Mississippi River, and Gulf of Mexico.
Other western-flowing rivers include the North Toe, South Toe, Cane, and Nolichucky.
The topo-graphy of the region affects the speed as well as the direction of
the flow. Streams and rivers on the eastern rim travel steeper slopes, gaining
speed and cutting rapidly into the underlying rock. Consequently, the eastern
slopes have eroded faster than the more gentle slopes of the western side, which,
at least in part, explains the dramatic escarpment on the eastern rim.

The topography affects rivers in yet another way. Occasionally the slower
western-flowing rivers are "captured" by a more energetic eastern
river. For example, as the swift Linville River flows east toward the Atlantic
Ocean, it erodes the land upriver and cuts the gorge behind it deeper. As erosion
moves upriver over millions of years, the Linville River may change the continental
divide, capturing a slower western-flowing river and bringing it east.

In addition to boasting the highest peak east of the Mississippi, this section
includes other noteworthy features: a United Nations Biosphere Reserve, snow-covered
mountain peaks that support a thriving ski industry, multichambered caverns,
and such varied habitats that in some areas migrating birds only have to travel
up and down the mountain slope as the seasons change. The first piece of national
forest purchased east of the Mississippi lies within this section, southeast
of the site of the first state park in North Carolina and near one of the original
wilderness areas in the United States that remains as pristine and unspoiled
as when the Cherokee lived there. The natural integrity of the region is enhanced
by several man-made wonders ranging from botanical gardens to such engineering
feats as Lake James and the Linn Cove Viaduct [Fig.
11(4)]. Finally, the region
is rich in minerals and gemstones. Mining has played a key role in the economy
here, and as more people visit the area, gem mines have opened to families and
individuals. While some may call them "touristy," they provide a unique
opportunity to expose people young and old to the wonders within the earth's
crust.